News

Reading an article entitled "10 Bad Cooking Habits to Break" reminded me of a topic that comes up a few times during each farmers' market - taking your meat off before it gets to final temp and letting it rest before eating. We try to remind new customers that meat will continue to cook when removed from the heat source, and to remove their meat 10 degrees below the final cook temperature. The rest also allows the juices to distribute evenly - making it all the more delicious.

I was outside this afternoon and I didn't even need my sweatshirt. Don't worry, I do have my own personal pot-bellied pig house to go into when the wind blows; that's where I like to take my naps when I'm outside. When I'm inside my little house I lay with my head in the doorway, so I can see anything that is going on, and my snout gets the full sun. I love the sun on my snout. When I sleep inside my big house, like on the couch or in my blanket pile, I like to have my head covered but my snout out of the blankets.

In case you didn't know, my snout is sort of like a people nose; I can breathe through it like people, but I also can do alot of other things with it that people can't do. For one thing I can dig with it! People can't dig a hole with their nose, but I can dig a hole and push the dirt with just the slightest movement of my snout. Someday I'll do a video blog about my snout.

Also, my snout is very sensitive. I don't like to bump it or have anyone pat it too hard, and I really don't like to put my snout on ice and snow - too cold! Once last summer I got some ice cubes in my water dish. That wasn't too cold because it was a really hot day, and I had fun getting those ice cubes out of the dish onto the floor. It only took me a minute.

Here's a photo of me and Mom waiting in the truck for Dad at Shaws. (That's a store that I can't go into. They aren't nice like Critter Hut where they let me go right in.) I got really close to the camera to show what a handsome snout I have!

In our photo gallery is a photo of corn that we grow, with the paranthetical "Not GMO". Leading to the very good question: What's GMO? As someone who has been regularly reading agricultural journals and publications for twenty years, but not a scientist, I hardly knew where to start (and be able to end this in a few paragraphs). So I went to Google and submit this as the barest introduction to GMOs.

GMO stands for "genetically modified organism". It is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques, generally known as recombinant DNA technology, use DNA molecules from different sources, which are combined into one molecule to create a new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into an organism, giving it modified or novel genes." (wiki)

The Monsanto Company is a U.S.-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world’s leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed as Roundup. Monsanto is also the world’s leading producer of genetically engineered (GE) seed; it sells 90% of the US’s GE seeds.(wiki)

GMO corn is genetically modified to withstand being sprayed with herbicides like Roundup - the weeds die but not the corn plant. Whether or not ingesting GMO corn has negative health affects on animals or people is being studied and debated, but what we do know is that where there are GMO crops there is Roundup (the corn is sold as "Roundup Ready") being sprayed. And glyphosate is a carcinogenic chemical.

For additional information about GMOs and particularly Monsanto’s role, I recommend a movie titled "Food Inc.". There are many impacts to consider of the genetic modification of living organisms, including the devastating affect it has had on farmers being able to grow and keep their own non-GMO seed stock. Watch what Monsanto does to a farmer when their GMO plants "infect" a farmer’s non-GMO field of grain, in Food Inc..

An exploratory committee is trying to persuade me to run for public office, but I don't think I'm cut out for the rough and tumble world of politics. I'd much rather serve as an ambassador for our farm and teach people, especially children, about farm life. I do like how the flag drapes around me though.

Thanks to my father-in-law’s habit of saving things, I’ve been enjoying old issues of Mother Earth News. This morning I found an article about the nutritive value of free range eggs vs. supermarket eggs, by Cheryl Long and Umut Newbury (Mother Earth News, Aug/Sept 2005). This led me to the internet looking for citations to the 2005 article, where I found another Mother Earth News study done in 2007. The 2007 study confirmed the 2005 conclusions: free range eggs are more nutritious and have significantly less cholesterol than supermarket eggs. The 2005 article indicated free range eggs had half the cholesterol of supermarket eggs but the 2007 study indicated one-third the cholesterol. The conclusion of the 2007 study was that free range eggs have:

• 1/3 less cholesterol• 1/4 less saturated fat• 2/3 more vitamin A• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids• 3 times more vitamin E• 7 times more beta carotene

than supermarket eggs.

The study could have included additional data, such as test results from commercial eggs and details about what the free range hens were actually eating. The fact is that all “free range diets” are not equal. For instance, our hens’ diets are seasonal in Rhode Island – different plants and bugs are available in each season. Typical winter in Rhode Island does not provide the hens with the plants and insects that are plentiful in the warm months. We supplement our hens’ diets in the winter with grain, vegetable scraps, fruit, raw bones, seeds and small amounts of raw meat. Given free choice, the chickens always eat what they prefer first, and will try to steal from each other what they especially like. I like to think that they prefer what their bodies tell them is needed.

The bottom line is that eggs provide an abundance of nutrients for a remarkable price. And if we compare the amount of nutrients we receive from our food to the price we pay for those nutrients, eggs are one of the most inexpensive sources of protein available.

I don’t know if the Mother Earth News’ study results are accurate, but I do know that my Gramma Mulholland was born in 1883 on a farm and lived her whole life regularly eating eggs, until she died in 1984. Of course, she also swore by “everything in moderation”. But that’s another story…

There's a snow storm headed our way for tomorrow, but farming doesn't stop for weather, and neither does the farmers' market! We'll be at the South Kingstown Wintertime Market at 10 am as usual. We have orders due and if the customer comes out, we'll be there.

Customers who don't go out in the snow and need meat for the coming week can call us at the farm (783-9239) to make an appointment to come to the farm to pick up their meat.

The beef freezers are full again! Bill picked up our packaged beef cuts this afternoon at Westerly Packing. We have tenderloin steaks (filet mignon) and NY strip steaks now, as well as lots of ground beef, stew beef and other slow cooking favorites back in stock for those winter comfort-food recipes!

Did you know that the term "tenderloin" technically refers to the entire strip of tenderloin? When it is cut into slices, those slices are the filet mignon. We have our tenderloin cut into 1 inch thick slices, and they generally weigh in the .20 to .25 pound range. We ask Westerly Packing to package them in individual packages, so that you can buy just what you need.

In addition to being the most delicious tasting beef meant to grow on grass and natural forages, our cattle are generally between 42 to 44 inches at the shoulder, with full grown bulls (over 3 years old) weighing around 1000 pounds and full grown cows (over 3 yrs) weighing around 750 pounds. We keep our beef growing to between 26 - 28 months old, compared to many who process at 12 to 18 months. Cattle grown on grass grows slow, and our smaller breed is ideal for today's healthy eating families who are eating less, but healthier, meat. We think our naturally smaller cuts are an ideal fit for today's beef eaters.

My name is Socks and I was born on November 15, 2010, which makes me the newest member of the Browning family. I am also the one and only Potbellied Pig at Browning Homestead Farm. No one ever confuses me with the Gloucester Old Spots or the American Guinea Hogs, although some people at the summer Farmers' Market think I'm a dog at first glance. One little boy thought I was a dog that looked just like a pig! He made us all chuckle.

I'm happy to say that people at the farmers' market have always been very kind to me, and the children are very gentle when they pet me. I don't mind being pet at all, I usually hardly stop grazing. My family always brings my special water jug with fresh cool water from home, and some treats too. My favorite treats used to be craisins, which are dried cranberries. Then I had my first fresh cranberry and that became my favorite snack. Crunchy and tart, and not too fattening. I have to watch out for that because I'm a pig, and I don't want to be an unhealthy pig.

Well, that's just a little bit about me. I'll be back with more about the farm and all the work and fun that goes on here.

Please feel free to send me an email with any questions you might have about me or farm life!

The winning name in the Name That Lamb Contest is Dotty! Nicholas Boyd of Narragansett came up with this great name and picked up his prize (2 packages of Browning Homestead beef patties and a dozen of Bertsies' Beauties Fresh Eggs) at the Fishermen's Memorial State Park Farmers' Market